THE ABSENT

CRIPPLED HEARTS

SOLIDARITY WITH THE FLESH EATING MOSAIC AND OTHER POEMS by Raj Dronamraju

Out Now

THE RETURN OF THE MAGNIFICENT NINNY AND OTHER POEMS by Raj Dronamraju

My first book of poetry available through Amazon and other online booksellers www.rajbooks.com

Sunday, December 21, 2014

MUSIC ROUND-UP DECEMBER PLUS BEST RECORDS OF 2014

D’Angelo and the Vanguard –
BLACK MESSIAH

The fourteen years between
BLACK MESSIAH and D’Angelo’s slow burning masterpiece VOODOO are immaterial as
far as I can see as a guy like D’Angelo lives in his own world of sonic
experimentation – both sounds and vocals as vision. MESSIAH is initially more warmer and organic
and more upfront than VOODOO if not as deep or layered aurally. Not as much an attempt at freeform musical
revolution perhaps but a wonderful record regardless with especially exquisite
vocals. Numerous musical moments – The Charade,
Til It’s Done (Tutu), Another Life. One
note – Apparently the record was moved up for release from next year because of
Michael Brown and other civil rights issues although with the exception of 1,000
Deaths and Til It’s Done, most of the other songs don’t seem to be politically
themed at all. Need to read the lyric
sheet I guess.

Engineers – ALWAYS RETURNING

Line-up changes have removed
the guitar based showgaze-y aspects of Engineers’ sound (Perfectly showcased on
their best record THREE FACT FADER) but
not the dream-like vibe or the otherworldly sense the vocals give us. Lone original member Mark Peters brings
enough of established Engineers mojo and German electronic music staple Ulrich
Schnauss fills in the rest with washes of synthesizer sound like waves alternately
lapping and roaring onto a beach. I
could have done without the two instrumentals but otherwise great.

Also as we are the end of the
year here are my picks for best records of the year. I didn’t hear a lot of great new music this
year but what I did hear was excellent and played often. The good new music I heard this year was
often synth based, electronic. I also dug
several future classics by old farts, established acts.